Classic musical The King and I coming to Llandudno and Liverpool

Jan 5 2012 Flintshire Chronicle

The national tour of an acclaimed new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s smash-hit musical The King and I is confirmed to visit Llandudno and Liverpool this year.

Ramon Tikaram will play the role of The King and Josefina Gabrielle will play Anna.

The King and I tells the heart-warming story of the British governess brought to the court of Siam to tutor the king’s many children.

It is told using one of the most beautiful scores ever written, with sweeping melodies such as Shall We Dance, I Whistle A Happy Tune, Hello Young Lovers, The March of the Siamese Children and Getting To Know You.

This breathtaking new production from Leicester Curve, directed by Paul Kerryson, is a lavish, grand-scale spectacle with giant gold Buddhas, sumptuous costumes, a chorus of adorable children, acrobatic dancers and a 10-piece orchestra.

The King and I is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicals of all time and has been seen by millions of people across the world since it was first performed in 1951. It has been showered with awards and turned into a blockbuster Hollywood movie, and its glorious soundtrack is still a bestseller.

Tikaram is a stage and screen actor who is probably best known as Ferdy in BBC drama This Life, and can currently be seen playing Qadim in EastEnders. His other TV credits include Casualty, Primeval, Wired and The Mighty Boosh.

His West End theatre credits include Bombay Dreams, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Gaddafi in Gaddafi – A Living Myth at English National Opera, Genie in Aladdin at the Old Vic Theatre and Rama in Ramayana at the National Theatre.

Gabrielle is a double Olivier Award-nominated stage and screen actress, whose career spans the West End and Broadway.

She most famously starred alongside Hugh Jackman in Trevor Nunn’s iconic National Theatre production of Oklahoma!, receiving an Oliver Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.

She later starred in the same production when it transferred to the West End and Broadway.

Most recently in the West End, Gabrielle has played Lily in Park Avenue Cat, Nicky/Ursula in Sweet Charity, Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret in The 39 Steps, Roxie Hart in Chicago, Alex Spofford in The Witches of Eastwick and Iris in the original cast of Fame.

The cast also features Adrian Li Donni as Lun-tha and Claire-Marie Hall as Tup-Tim.

The King and I comes to Venue Cymru in Llandudno from January 10-14. To book, call 01492 872000 or visit www.venuecymru.co.uk.

The show can be seen later this year at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool from April 3-7. Telephone 0844 871 3017 or visit www.liverpoolempire.org.uk.